Lippi gives D´Agostino surprise call up for friendly

Italy coach Marcello Lippi named one new face to his 22-man squad for Wednesday’s friendly in Greece by calling up Udinese midfielder Gaetano D’Agostino.

Lippi kept faith with a relatively young squad so D’Agostino’s club team-mate Simone Pepe and Villarreal forward Giuseppe Rossi both kept their places.

But despite the likes of Andrea Pirlo, Gianluigi Buffon, Antonio Di Natale and Alberto Aquilani there was still no place for either Alessandro Del Piero or Antonio Cassano.

Del Piero’s omission was no surprise as Lippi had said earlier in the month that he would use the match to have a look at some new blood.

“He will stay at home because he’s someone I already know a lot about,” he had said. “I want to freshen up the team and have a look at some new players, discover some new people.”

World champions Italy have made a good start under Lippi’s second stint in charge of the national team, winning three and drawing one of their first four World Cup qualifiers putting them top of Group Eight.

Greece are also top of Group Two after three wins and a defeat from their first four qualifiers.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Gianluca Curci (Siena), Morgan De Sanctis (Galatasaray/TUR)

Defenders: Daniele Bonera (AC Milan), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid/ESP), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Andrea Dossena (Liverpool/ENG), Alessandro Gamberini (Fiorentina), Fabio Grosso (Lyon/FRA), Nicola Legrottaglie (Juventus)

Midfielders: Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Gaetano D’Agostino (Udinese), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Simone Perrotta (AS Roma)

Forwards: Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal/ESP), Luca Toni (Bayern Munich/GER)